Saturday, November 17, 2007

Spinach Artichoke Bars

Sometimes I see recipes for appetizers and they sound really good, so I make them for dinner and we just eat them in bulk instead of an entree. So tonight I made these Spinach Artichoke Bars that were reviewed highly on the Cooking Light Bulletin Boards [CLBB]. They are a lot like my Spinach and Artichoke Dip, but on top of a crust of crescent roll dough. They were really good and I would make them again for company or a dinner party or something. But I would probably add about 1 tsp of minced garlic, since I love garlic.

Changes: I did not use the optional red peppers; I used reduced-fat, trans-fat-free crescent rolls, 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, and light sour cream.

Spinach Artichoke BarsThese can be made ahead & rewarmed with no effect on taste.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Unroll the crescent dough and place on a 13 X 9 inch pan. Gently press though dough evenly into the pan and 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan to form a crust, paying special attention to seal the roll perforations. Sprinkle the dough with 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven.

2. While the crust is baking, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, sour cream, and remaining Parmesan cheese and mix until smooth. Fold in the spinach and artichoke hearts. Spread the mixture evenly over the prepared crust. Bake for an additional 13-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set. Cut into squares and serve hot or cool to room temperature.

3. Can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. To reheat, bake at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes, or until piping hot.